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Creativity Counts

“Support the Arts”

May 4, 2011 New Advocacy Update

It has been a very busy year so far for our Alliance and in case you’ve missed anything, or want to know what we are up to, you may find this update useful.  We have seen the appointment of a new Premier of our province, a Federal election called, and some changes and a review of gaming funds underway.  We can also look forward to an HST referendum, a Municipal election and possibly a provincial election.  We also have a by-election in which our Premier is running for a seat.  These all present opportunities and challenges to make sure that our collective voices are heard clearly.

First of all, we were proud to be a part of the Vancouver Not Vegas coalition, whose work, led by Sandy Garossino and Lindsay Brown, resulted in an unanimous decision by Vancouver City Council to prevent the major expansion of Edgewater Casino in our downtown.  This initiative and the public discussion that has begun will inform the anticipated review of public Gaming, especially the revenues that are generated and distributed to charities.  While we welcome this review, the situation for the arts and cultural groups remains dire and largely neglected.  Especially as multi-year agreements have come to an end, many arts organizations are finding themselves ineligible to apply under the “new eligibility criteria” introduced by Rich Coleman in 2009.  We have urged our new Premier and Minister to address this issue immediately, before a lengthy review process is completed.  The $15 Million that was “restored” recently has not satisfied or addressed the pressing need in the arts and culture community, including many of our members.

It is also important to use the opportunity of the May 11th by-election, in which Premier Clark is running to remind her of promises made to the arts and culture during her leadership campaign.  She has made good on the $15 Million to Gaming and we expect an announcement regarding a review.  Restoration of funding cuts made to the BCAC, however, were also part of her promises and we urge our members and supporters to write letters to remind her of this.  We support the allocation of at least 80%of the Arts Legacy fund ($10 Million) to the BCAC, and emphasize that this decision be made as soon as possible to avoid the confusion and backtracking that the BCAC had to endure last year.  We also need to address the per capita level of arts and cultural spending in this province, which is the lowest in the country.  We all want healthy, flourishing, and livable communities and the arts and culture have a large role in this.  We also want her to know that those of us who work in arts and culture represent families and jobs that contribute significantly to our communities and which, in turn, serve families and support jobs in other sectors.   Our new premier has an opportunity to distinguish her new government from that of Gordon Campbell and has much to gain from supporting civil society, especially the arts and culture.  You can send letters to Christy@ChristyClark.ca

The Federal election is days away and we have worked with the Canadian Conference for the Arts to ensure a coordinated effort through a Common Arts Election Platform.  Please vote!

For a summary of responses from the federal political parties to our questions regarding Arts and Culture, please vist the CCA’s website.

Our strength as an Alliance is based on our membership and in being able to work together to achieve our collective goals.  I invite you all to Arts Summit 2011, being held in partnership with SFU Woodward’s at the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts on June 10 and 11th.  This is a great opportunity to strengthen our networks and strategize together.

Amir Ali Alibhai
Executive Director
Alliance for Arts and Culture

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February 18, 2011 Thoughts On The Budget

As expected, the budget presented by the provincial government on Tuesday, held to a “stand pat” strategy.

We were disappointed to see that yet again the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Finance were not followed.  Given the current political and economic climates, however, we have not been surprised.

A small degree of freedom and flexibility have been provided for the next Premier of British Columbia.

The budget for the arts seems to have remained about the same as last year.  The BC Arts Council (BCAC) seems to have to deal with a very slight decrease in actual dollars ($18K) and the 2010 Sports and Arts Legacy fund is still intact at $20 Million.

We are grateful that these budgets have not been cut since last year, but there is still a huge lack in the BCAC’s ability to meet the needs of the sector it serves or to have a significant impact on its development, without allocating most of the 2010 Legacy Fund monies directly to the BCAC without strings.

Last year, allocation of almost $8 Million dollars from this fund came very late in the year, causing a scramble and confusion for the arts community.  The ability to plan wisely through these difficult economic times is critical for the arts and cultural community as well as the BCAC.  We urge the new leader of our province to allocate the bulk of the Arts Legacy fund, at least $8 Million, to the BCAC as soon as possible in the new fiscal year.

It has not been possible to verify the status of Gaming grants to the Arts and Cultural sector.  If the numbers are in the Budget, we have not been able to locate them easily and are working on this.  The BC Association for Charitable Gaming (BCACG), however, has announced that here too the overall picture is the same as last year.

Gaming revenues to charities and non-profits in the province remain at last year’s level, which is well below the justified need, and well below the level agreed to by the BCACG and the province in previous negotiations.

To date there has been no indication of a reversal of eligibility restrictions on arts and cultural organizations, leaving many of them ineligible for funding.  The annual loss to Metro Vancouver organizations is estimated at $4 Million.  This means jobs and programs.

We urge our new leader to address these issues regarding Gaming funds as a priority, to ensure that the civil society infrastructure of the province, especially the arts and cultural infrastructure, does not collapse.

Amir Ali Alibhai
Executive Director
Alliance for Arts and Culture

 

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February 9, 2011 Hill Strategies: 49% increase in consumer spending on live performances between 2001 and 2008

February 9, 2011

Patterns in Performing Arts Spending in Canada in 2008, the 33rd report in the Statistical Insights on the Arts series from Hill Strategies Research, provides a detailed analysis of Canadians who spend money on live performing arts. The report looks at variations in performing arts spending between households based on factors such as education, income, age, sex, the presence (or absence) of children in the household, household size, disability, rural and urban households, as well as province.
The data is drawn from Statistics Canada’s Survey of Household Spending, a yearly questionnaire on Canadians’ spending habits. Statistics Canada surveyed 9,787 Canadian households regarding their spending in 2008, including the following question regarding live performing arts: “In 2008, how much did your household spend on admissions to live performing arts events, for example, plays, concerts, dance performances?”
Because it is a broad survey of overall spending habits, the Survey of Household Spending does not provide all of the details that might be desired regarding cultural spending items. For example, the live performing arts category includes a range of for-profit and non-profit arts activities, including pop concerts, classical music, musical theatre, plays, opera, dance, and others.
The survey asked respondents about their spending on live performing arts, not their overall attendance. Free performances, by definition, are excluded from the survey.
While higher spending on the performing arts might often be considered a “good” thing in the cultural sector, high ticket prices (which could lead to higher spending levels) could push the live performing arts experience out of reach of too many individuals. This report examines which households do or do not spend any money on live performing arts, in addition to differences in average spending between households.
Performing arts spending: $108 per Canadian household
In 2008, consumer spending on live performing arts was $1.426 billion, or an average of $108 for each of the 13.2 million households in the country.
In 37% of Canadian households, some money was spent on live performing arts in 2008. In households with some spending on live performing arts, the average amount spent was $293. Examined differently, this equals 31 cents out of every $100 in household income spent on live performing arts (in households with some performing arts spending).

49% increase in performing arts spending between 2001 and 2008

After adjusting for inflation, consumer spending on live performing arts increased by 49% between 2001 and 2008. In 2001, for those households with some spending on live performing arts, 25 cents out of every $100 in household income was spent on live performing arts. This figure had increased substantially by 2008 (an average of 31 cents out of every $100 in household income).
It is clear that, between 2001 and 2008, there was a substantial increase in the number of high spenders on live performing arts. In 2001, about 2.2 million households spent at least $120 on live performing arts. In 2008, even with an increase in the minimum spending threshold, over 2.7 million households spent at least $200 on live performing arts. This represents a 26% increase in the number of high spending households, compared with an 11% increase in the total number of households in Canada between 2001 and 2008.

Other performing arts spending statistics held steady between 2001 and 2008

In 2001, 36% of Canadian households reported spending any money on live performing arts, a figure that is very similar to the 37% of households reporting any spending in 2008.
While many analytical categories were revised between the 2001 and 2008 data years, it is clear that at least the same percentage of households in each income group spent at least some money on live performing arts in 2008 as in 2001.

With an abundance of spending options, many Canadians choose live performing arts
Canadians have many ways in which to spend their disposable income. As a comparator to live performing arts, the report also examines some indicators of spending on three other attendance-related activities: movie theatres, museums, and live sports events. The results of these comparisons show that a substantial proportion of the Canadian public spends a considerable amount of money on live performing arts.
The $1.426 billion spent on live performing arts was slightly higher than spending on movie theatre admissions ($1.216 billion) and more than double the spending on live sports events ($0.645 billion) or admissions to museums and heritage-related activities ($0.519 billion) in 2008.
In 2008, 37% of all Canadian households spent any money on live performing arts. In comparison, 55% spent any money on movie theatre admissions, 29% on museum admissions, and 17% on live sports events.
Many lower-income Canadians choose live performing arts
A considerable percentage of lower-income households choose to spend some money on live performing arts. Households with incomes of $25,000 or less are more likely to spend any money on live performing arts (15%) than on museum admissions (12%) and live sports (4%). On the other hand, many more households with incomes of $25,000 or less spent some money on movie theatre admissions in 2008 (29%).
Attendance at each of these activities increases substantially with income. Households with incomes of $25,000 or less are four times less likely to spend any money on live performing arts than households with incomes over $150,000 (15% vs. 60%). The equivalent ratio for movie theatre admissions is slightly lower (just under three: 29% of lower-income households spending any money vs. 80% of higher-income households). The ratio for museum admissions is slightly higher than for live performing arts (over four: 12% of lower-income households spent any money vs. 50% of higher-income households). The equivalent ratio for live sports events is ten. That is, households with incomes of $25,000 or less are almost ten times less likely to spend any money on live sports events (4%) than households with incomes over $150,000 (36%).
Those lower-income households that did spend money on live performing arts in 2008 spent an average of $166, compared with an average of $124 for those lower-income households that spent money on live sports events, $106 for lower-income households with some spending on movies, and $66 for lower-income households that spent money on museum admissions.
While there are clear differences in performing arts spending by income, these statistics indicate that there is a core group of performing arts spenders across income groups.
Education, province, municipal size and disability: factors in performing arts spending
Education is an important factor in performing arts spending. The percentage of households spending any money on live performing arts increases substantially with the education of the survey respondent, from 14% of those without a secondary school diploma to over 50% of households where the respondent has a university education. The average spending per household is also highest for respondents with a university education.
There are some differences in performing arts spending between the provinces. Residents of Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Prince Edward Island are most likely to spend money on live performing arts, with over 40% of households in these provinces reporting any spending. Residents of three Atlantic provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) are least likely to spend any money on live performing arts, with 33% or less of households reporting any spending. For those households with any spending on live performing arts, the average amount spent is highest in Ontario ($330) and Alberta ($309). The average spending per household is lowest in Prince Edward Island ($202), Nova Scotia ($208) and New Brunswick ($215).
Regarding municipal size, residents of larger cities are most likely to spend money on live performing arts: 39% of residents of cities with populations of 100,000 or more reported spending any money on live performing arts in 2008, compared with 35% of the residents of smaller cities (less than 100,000 population) and 28% of the residents of rural areas. The average amount spent is also highest in larger cities ($316), compared with smaller cities ($224) and rural areas ($212).
There are also differences in performing arts spending between households where the survey respondent has a disability and those where the respondent does not. The percentage of households spending any money on live performing arts is much lower in households where the respondent has a disability (24%) than in households where the respondent does not (39%).
While households with incomes of $25,000 or less are four times less likely to spend any money on live performing arts than households with incomes over $150,000 (15% vs. 60%), those lower income households that do spend some money on live performances allocate much higher proportions of their household incomes to the performing arts (93 cents per $100 of income for households with incomes of $25,000 or less, compared with only 22 cents per $100 for households with incomes of more than $150,000). In other words, the financial commitment toward the performing arts is much more significant for low-income households than for high-income households.
Demographic factors that do not have a substantial impact on performing arts spending include the presence of children in the household, household size, and the age or sex of the survey respondent.
Performing arts marketing insights
Statistics in this report indicate that there are strong overlaps between households with high spending on live performing arts, museums, art, books and movies. The report compares the expenditures of the 2.7 million households that spent $200 or more on live performing arts in 2008 with the 10 million households that spent less than $200 or no money at all on live performing arts. High spenders on the performing arts have 69% higher total household expenditures than low or non-spenders on the performing arts, but the difference in expenditures on other cultural goods and services is much higher than 69%:
  • 3.5 times higher average spending on admission to museums and other heritage-related activities.
  • Nearly three times higher average spending on art, antiques and decorative ware.
  • Over 2.5 times higher average spending on books.
  • Nearly 2.5 times higher average spending on movie theatre admissions.
  • Over two times higher average spending on photographic goods and services.
  • Over two times higher average spending on magazines and periodicals.
  • Two times higher spending on newspapers.
Based on these statistics, performing arts marketing strategies could target other cultural participants, especially museum goers, art buyers and book readers. Some specific marketing strategies could include:
  • Customizing performing arts marketing messages for museum and art gallery visitors.
  • Ensuring that performance information is available at museums, galleries, festivals, historic sites, and other cultural sites.
  • Ensuring that brochures and other materials are available in libraries and at reading series.
  • Presenting performances in museums, galleries or other cultural venues.
  • Collaborating with other types of arts organizations, possibly through co-location, co-productions and shared creations.
Interestingly, data in the report shows that high spenders on the performing arts spend over four times more on live sports events than low or non-spenders on the performing arts. This data indicates that many households that purchase tickets for events do so for a range of different events, rather than sticking to one type of activity. Based on these statistics, performing arts marketing could also target sports attendees.
Performing arts sponsorship possibilities
In order to obtain sponsorships, it is helpful for arts organizations to have reliable data on the non-cultural spending habits of those who spend significant amounts on live performing arts. Again comparing the expenditures of the 2.7 million households that spent $200 or more on live performing arts in 2008 with the 10 million households that spent less than $200 or no money at all on live performing arts, the report provides data regarding various consumer expenditures. High spenders on the performing arts have 69% higher total household expenditures than low or non-spenders on the performing arts but even higher average spending than low or non-spenders on:
  • Hotels and other travel accommodations (nearly triple) and inter-city transportation (more than double).
  • Financial services (over twice as much) and contributions to retirement savings and pension funds (nearly twice as much).
  • Garden supplies (more than double).
  • Restaurants (85% higher average spending on restaurant food and more than double the average spending on restaurant alcohol).
  • Bicycles (more than double).
  • Clothing (88% higher).
  • Furniture (86% higher).
  • Computer equipment and supplies (81% higher).
  • Pet expenses (72% higher).
For potential sponsors, these statistics mean that high spenders on the performing arts are key customers. Through performing arts organizations, sponsors in these sectors can reach interested buyers of their goods and services.
The full report also highlights some demographic and other characteristics of the highest-spending households.
Performing arts spending and taxes
High spenders on the performing arts pay more than twice as much in personal taxes and 57% more in property taxes than low or non-spenders on the performing arts.
Full report also available
The full report contains much more detail about the variations in performing arts spending between households based on factors such as education, income, age, sex, the presence (or absence) of children in the household, household size, disability, rural and urban households, as well as province. Funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council, the report is available free of charge on the Hill Strategies Research website (http://www.hillstrategies.com) and the websites of the funding organizations.

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January 7, 2011 IT’S TIME TO GET POLITICAL: Let The Next Generation of Political Leaders Know What We Want

As three of British Columbia’s four main political parties begin their search for new leaders, it is time for the arts community to make clear what it expects from the next generation of political leadership.

The Liberals, the NDP and the Conservatives will be choosing new leaders in the coming months, and only the Green Party will be entering the next election campaign under familiar management. The recent past has been especially challenging for the arts community, and it is important that we make clear to all political parties that the status quo is not acceptable and that as a sector we have clear and reasonable expectations for the future.

Your Alliance has drafted an Open Letter to circulate to all leaders and leadership hopefuls. In it we outline four basic positions that the arts community wants to see included in any viable candidate’s arts policy platform, and ultimately in the election platform that their party runs on in the next election.

Our plan is to circulate this Open Letter early next week. Once we have had an opportunity to receive the leadership contenders’ responses to our four points we will “go public” with this letter in the form of a media release. This will include the responses we receive to the Open Letter and our thoughts on those responses.

We will then continue to persistently bring campaign conversations about arts funding and cultural policy development back to those four points, until we are satisfied that we know exactly where each candidate stands. And we will move into the upcoming provincial election knowing who we believe really supports our sector and who we feel is dealing in the platitudes and bromides we have become too familiar with. We will share that information widely and we will encourage our community to become active in supporting the candidate in their party of choice who is most clearly committed to those four policy points.

Before we take the next steps in this initiative we wanted to share this Open Letter draft with our community and get your feedback and suggestions. Email our director of communications at communications@allianceforarts.com with your thoughts on this Open Letter and the strategy we have developed for “getting political”.

The future of culture in our community depends on your wholehearted involvement.

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December 10, 2010 Support BC non-profits and charities here

Support the BCACG initiative to restore gaming grants to non-profits and charities across the province. Visit the BCACG site for full details.

Please sign both petitions – especially the first, if you live, work or have family in Vancouver:

    1. Petition to BC gov’t and Vancouver City Council to stand up for charities and non-profits
    2. Petition to restore gaming funding to charities and non-profits across the province

      Please read BCACG’s
      Open Letter to Minister Rich Coleman

      For more detailed background information:
      BCACG Brief on BC Gaming Legislation

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      November 17, 2010 A Call To Action: Protect Charitable Gaming

      Dear Arts Supporters:

      At the Alliance for Arts and Culture’s Board Meeting on November 16 a resolution was passed to support the BC Association for Charitable Gaming’s Petition to the City of Vancouver to protect the charitable and non-profit sector in the City of Vancouver.

      The request to expand the Edgewater Casino will come to City Council in the context of massively expanding gaming activity and increasing revenues to the province, at the expense of its commitments to charities and non-profits, including arts and cultural groups.

      The resolution reads as follows:

      Whereas:

      Gambling in Canada was legalized for the purpose of benefiting sports, arts, and community charitable and non-profit purposes;

      Benefits to charities and non-profits have been used as a justification for the expansion of gaming in British Columbia;

      Support by charities and non-profits was critical to the success of the original grant of gambling license to Edgewater Casino, and the applicant at that time entered into undertakings to benefit the charitable sector in order to acquire its gambling license;

      Edgewater Casino has not fulfilled its obligations under that original license;

      The Province of British Columbia has failed to adhere to the spirit and the letter of its own Memorandum of Agreement with the BC Association for Charitable Gaming, committing it to allocating 33 percent of gaming revenues to charities and non-profits;

      The provincial government has denied eligibility to arts organizations for gaming grants, which will have a direct loss to the Vancouver arts sector in excess of $4.5 million annually by 2012;

      And Whereas this loss will directly cost jobs and severely and adversely affect Vancouver’s cultural life;

      Therefore:

      The Alliance for Arts and Culture endorses and fully supports the Petition of the BC Association for Charitable Gaming, asking the City of Vancouver to refuse any expansion of gambling until the Province of British Columbia honours its commitment to allocate 33 percent of net gaming revenues to charities and non-profits, or renegotiates that agreement in good faith;

      I would like to encourage our members to pass similar resolutions at their own Boards and join the growing number of civil society organizations in the city in supporting this initiative.

      On behalf of the BC Association for Charitable Gaming, which represents any of us who have ever received a Gaming Grant, I ask for the following:

      I ask for all member organizations of the Alliance in the City of Vancouver to:

      1. Put an equivalent motion forward to their boards, and notify us;

      2. Write to Vancouver Council advising of the motion from this link: Blog | BC Association for Charitable Gaming ;

      3. Disseminate the motion and the Open Letter to Coleman (LINK?) to memberships, asking for letters of support;

      4. Ask members, audiences, and such groups as are thought to be appropriate, to please sign the online petition here: Petition to Vancouver City Council to Support Charities and Non-Profits – Signatures

      The online petition is very important. Its success is having an impact.

      I believe that supporting this initiative by the BCACG may be our best chance at achieving a resolution to this ongoing issue for civil society in BC, including arts and cultural organizations.

      Amir Ali Alibhai
      Executive Director
      Alliance for Arts and Culture

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      October 15, 2010 The Golden (BC) Story: Why does Golden invest in the arts?

      Video of interview with Christine Benty, Mayor of Golden, BC, Caleb Moss, Councillor and David Allen, Chief Administrative Officer with the Town of Golden. The video tells the story of the Town of Golden, BC’s investment in arts and culture. Elected officials and staff explain why they invest and why they consider important to Golden. Special thanks to Bill Usher, Executive Director of Kicking Horse Culture and Rider Media for producing this video. Funding for the video was provided by the Arts area of 2010 Legacies Now.

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      October 8, 2010 Alliance for Arts and Culture Calls For Reinstatement of Gaming Funds

      Wedge Politics Strategy Seen In Loss of Investment In a Civil Society

      Speaking on behalf of its 350 members and a growing province-wide coalition of arts and community service groups, the Greater Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture is calling on the provincial government, specifically Minister Rich Coleman of Housing and Social Development, to reinstate all the gaming funds previously used to support community services provided by charities and non-profits.

      In advance of Friday’s BC Association for Charitable Gaming Symposium at Richmond’s River Rock Casino, Alliance executive director Amir Ali Alibhai said, “We are taking this opportunity to urge the BC government and Minister Coleman to properly fund charities and non-profits, as was promised when Gaming was expanded throughout BC.

      “While the government of BC becomes increasingly addicted to the lucrative business of gambling at the expense of vulnerable British Columbians, and continues to expand its gaming activities, it has proceeded to break a social contract made with BC’s citizens,” Mr. Alibhai continued.

      “Gambling was expanded in this province with the understanding that 33 percent of its profits would go back into communities to fund key social and community services. Currently this percentage has been eroded to 10 percent and important community infrastructures in the non-profit and charity sectors are crumbling.”

      Mr. Alibhai acknowledged that there seems to be no hope of stopping neither the unprecedented expansion of gambling nor the social malaise that it creates.

      He notes, however, that “we are forced to accept this source of funding for our sectors. We therefore demand a fair percentage of revenues for our communities. We also seek a more transparent manner of allocation of funds than we have witnessed of late.

      “The risk of political agendas and motives affecting civil society is currently great. This massive pot of Gaming funds is currently distributed entirely at the ministry’s discretion, without transparency, consultation, or any type of arm’s-length process to ensure Gaming is not a political slush fund.

      “The recent priorities announced by Minister Coleman suggest a strategy of wedge politics that we find disturbing.

      “The BC government has increasingly put pressure on non-profit organizations, the pillars of a civil society, to deliver the social services it has gradually off-loaded, while cutting back its own financial support of those organizations. This is largely a result of an ideological strategy to cut corporate taxes while jumping on the cash cow that Gaming represents by taxing consumers. This addiction to gambling proceeds is not healthy and does not build a bright or better future for BC.

      In making this announcement Mr. Alibhai outlined three key requests, that the government:

      * Restore the funding previously provided through Gaming to civil society organizations, including the arts;

      * Work with the BC Association for Charitable Gaming to negotiate and formalize an agreement to allocate at least 20 percent of all Gaming revenues to the charitable and non-profit sector so that services they provide to the public are sustainable for the future.

      * Consult with community organizations from all sectors on priorities and eligibility criteria and processes for allocation of funds to civil society.

      “It is not just about arts and culture, this is about the general future health of our province,” concluded Mr. Alibhai.

      Alliance for Arts and Culture advocacy chair Sandy Garossino will be the keynote speaker at Friday’s BC Association for Charitable Gaming Symposium 2010, being held from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond. Ms. Garossino will speak on the topic of “Advocacy in a Challenging Time: We Can Work Together Toward A More Stable Future.”

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      October 8, 2010 Peter Sellars on the argument for financing culture

      Acclaimed American theatre director Peter Sellars on the argument for financing culture. This is an excerpt from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston lecture, “Cultural Leadership in Difficult Times (Fighting off a Depression) or the Economics of Transcendence” presented on February 4, 2009. Part of The Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Celebrity Lecture series.

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      October 6, 2010 Network of “Community Arts Champions” To Meet MLAs

      British Columbia’s major arts organizations have joined forces in a mission to convince the BC government to show greater support for arts and culture.

      The Assembly of BC Arts Councils, the BC Touring Council, the Vancouver-based Alliance for Arts and Culture, and the ProArt Alliance of Greater Victoria, through the “Creativity Counts” arts advocacy initiative, are recruiting “Community Arts Champions” in each of the province’s ridings to personally take the case for public investment to their local MLAs.

      Collectively these organizations and their members represent thousands of artists and community arts groups.

      Over the coming weeks, delegations representing community and professional arts organizations and their audiences, small business partners, volunteers, donors, and other supporters will convey to MLAs the benefits to society that a thriving cultural sector brings, and the vital role played by a long tradition of public support, ensuring accessibility for all British Columbians.

      “Our goal with the Creativity Counts campaign and this Community Arts Champions initiative is to demonstrate the depth and reach of the arts sector in every community in BC,“ said Alliance for Arts and Culture executive director Amir Ali Alibhai in announcing the launch of the campaign.

      “Our Community Arts Champions will seek to develop meaningful relationships with all MLAs from both political parties, and to demonstrate that public investment in the arts is crucial to the health of our communities everywhere in British Columbia,” Alibhai explained.

      “Our creative sector, with the help of private and public investment, an independent jury process, as well as donor and volunteer commitment, has generated a cultural legacy that endures as a source of pride for all British Columbians. Now this legacy is seriously at risk,” noted Nelson-based BC Touring Council’s executive director Joanna Maratta in supporting the announcement.

      “According to Statistics Canada, BC spends by far the least per capita on public investment for operating grants for arts organizations, compared to other provinces. After the recent cuts BC’s per capita investment in the arts is $6.54, while most recently available figure for the national average is $26.73.

      “In most other jurisdictions, the tough economy has meant greater, not less, investment in community-based arts and culture spending. BC is one of the only jurisdictions where we are seeing severe cuts, and it just doesn’t make sense,” added Ms. Maratta.

      Cuts to the arts have gone much deeper than cuts to other government services. Even though the province’s MLA’s on the Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services unanimously recommended restoring arts funding to 2008-09 levels in the lead-up to last March’s budget, this year:

      • The BC Arts Council was initially cut 53 percent from 2008/09, though part of those funds were restored recently, for which the community is very grateful;

      • BC Gaming Commission funds for the arts were cut 58 percent from 2008/09;

      • A $10 million annual supplementary fund has been created, of which 30 percent went to “spirit festivals,” while traditional festivals are seeing their grants severely slashed, and the rest of the supplemental fund was spent on restoring much of the initial cuts to the Arts Council;

      • Total government investment in culture, (including the newly announced $10 million annual supplementary fund) was reduced by 32.4 per cent from the 2008/09 budget.

      “When we meet with our MLA’s, we will talk with them about the 3.5 million British Columbians who go, or take their children or grandchildren to a museum, a public gallery, children’s festival, a music festival or theatre production, or those who enjoy the great BC writers and BC books and publications, or whose children dream of a future as a performer,’ said ProArt Alliance advocacy coordinator Peter Sandmark from Victoria.

      “If present trends continue, many of these opportunities will vanish, because these organizations will shut down or reduce programming to a minimum, only to be rebuilt when a government has the foresight to re-invest in this vital sector of our society, Mr. Sandmark concluded.”

      Anyone interested in participating in the Creativity Counts Community Arts Champions initiative should contact the Alliance for Arts and Culture’s director of communications at communications@allianceforarts.com.

      Creativity Counts is an Alliance for Arts and Culture advocacy campaign with three goals:

      • The soonest possible restoration of arts investment from all provincial government sources to the 2008/2009 levels;
      • The ultimate increasing of stable, arms-length investment in the arts to at least the national average; and
      • The development, by the cultural community, of a position paper to be presented to all political parties and stakeholders as a starting point for the creation of a comprehensive and sustainable arts funding policy for British Columbia.

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